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ROBOT WARS U.S. Rules & Regulations 2002 (11 Nov 2001)Technical sheets will be available for the following areas: … Technical Sheet No. 1 Failsafes
RULES & REGULATIONS YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT BUILDING ROBOTS CAN BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. BY READING THESE RULES AND REGULATIONS, YOU THE BUILDER AND ASSOCIATED TEAM MEMBERS ACKNOWL EDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU ARE FULLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL CLAIMS AND DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROBOT, AND THAT YOU AND YOUR TEAM MEMBERS UNDERTAKE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROBOT AT YOUR OWN RISK. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT BAN DEIRA; ROBOT WARS, LLC; MTV NETWORKS; MBC AND MENTORN INTERNATIONAL ARE IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE AND SHALL BE HELD HARMLESS FOR ANY SUCH CLAIMS AND DAMAGES. ROBOT CONSTRUCTION 1. GENERAL, SAFETY and STYLE - The Organizers, at their sole discretion, reserve the right to alter or change these specifications at any time. 1.1 General Construction 1.1.1 Interchangeable body panels or weaponry is allowed between bouts providing changes can be done within a 20-minute time-frame. Interchanging of such panels or weapons cannot be done during bouts. 1.1.2 Limited time will be allowed between bouts for repairs, adjustments, changing of batteries, etc. 1.1.3 Any on-board equipment that could require attention during the program recording - e.g. recharging of pressure reservoirs; charging batteries; changing receiver (RX) crystals - should be easily and quickly accessible i.e. gas cylinders must be installed in such a manner that they can be removed for filling and testing within five minutes. Also radio receivers must be installed in such a manner to allow a change of crystals in less than five minutes. 1.1.4 All Robots must have a cradle in which it can sit with the drive wheels or tracks supported off of the ground. The cradle must allow the Robot’s drive to be demonstrated on the workbench without the Robot moving. (Wheels should not be fitted to the cradle.) 1.2 Safety 1.2.1 Robots will be inspected for safety and reliability before being allowed to compete. 1.2.2 The Organizers reserve the right to ban or disqualify any Robot that, in their opinion, is/could be unsafe and cause injury to personnel or damage to the television studio set or equipment. 1.2.3 Activation of robots will take place within a bullpen constructed rear of stage. The robot must be designed in such a manner that all switches, valves etc. are accessible from outside the bullpen. No competitor will be allowed to enter the bullpen under any circumstances with an activated robot. The bullpen has an 18 inch high door. 1.3 Style 1.3.1 Robots can be built using wheels; tracks; legs ("Walkers"). 1.3.2 Other styles or methods may be considered, but contact the Organizers before starting work. 1.3.3 Flying Robots that use exposed rotating aerofoils are banned. 1.3.4 Cluster robots I) "Cluster Bots" - Robots consisting of two or more components – are allowed. ii) They must enter the arena as a single object, and if 50% of the robots are immobilized then the team would be deemed to have lost that bout. 2. WEIGHTS and DIMENSIONS 2.1 Weights 2.1.1 Weight Classification Heavyweight: above 100lbs to 220lbs (above 45.4kgs to 100kgs) 2.1.2 Legged robots i) Legged Robots ("Walkers") are permitted to enter the weight classification one below their actual weight. ii) Legged Robots ("Walkers") can weigh up to 350lbs (160kgs) in the Heavyweight class. 2.1.3 Total weight is measured without consumables - e.g. gases, fuel - and does not include safety bars, straps, guards or similar equipment used to immobilize moving arms/weapons, or for protection, and which are removed before battle. (Please note that batteries will not be considered as consumables.) 2.1.4 If interchangeable panels and/or weapons are used, the weight is measured with the heaviest set-up in place. 2.2 Dimensions 2.2.1 Overall length must not exceed 6.6ft (2 meters). Overall width must not exceed 4.6ft (1.4 meters). 2.2.2 Legged Robots ("Walkers") may exceed these dimensions, but check with the Organizers before starting work. 2.2.3 There is no maximum height for a Robot. (This will be dictated by design and weight constraints.) 2.2.4 Length and width is measured to the extremities of the Robot, i.e. includes any overhanging bodywork, weaponry or protrusions. 2.2.5 Providing the Robot starts a bout with weaponry or other devices in a retracted position, the length and width is measured with these in this retracted position. 3. MOTIVE POWER 3.1 General 3.1.1 Engine types i) Motive power for the drive and/or weapons may be electric, internal combustion (IC), hydraulic, or pneumatic. ii) A combination of engines - e.g. electric drive and IC weapons, an IC engine driving a hydraulic pump - is allowed. iii) Other types of engines may be considered, but contact the Organizers before starting work. 3.1.2 Safety switch i) All Robots must be fitted with on-off switches that operate both radio receiver and drive/weapon circuits - in practice totally removing all power from the Robot. ii) If there is more than one switch, these must be positioned adjacent to one another. iii) The main power cutoff MUST be a removable link (See Technical Sheet No. 4.) which must NOT be in place unless the Robot is in the arena or under the supervision of a technician. A key or switch is not allowed. iv) The link must be positioned in a visible part of the Robot’s bodywork, fitted away from any operating weaponry or drive, and this position must be clearly marked. v) The link may be fitted under a cover, but the cover must be able to be opened without the use of tools. vi) If the Robot uses an IC Engine(s), the "Power" cutoff can take the form of a clearly labeled "Kill" switch. 3.1.3 If the proposed Robot design (e.g. a completely revolving body) could make conforming to some or all of Regulations 3.1.2 impractical, contact the Organizers before starting work. 3.1.4 The robot must be able to be activated from outside the bullpen. 3.2 Electric 3.2.1. Working voltages must not exceed 36V DC (mean voltage) or 36V RMS AC. 3.2.2. All power connections (connections carrying a heavy current) must be of an adequate grade and adequately insulated. Cables must be routed to minimize the chances of being cut. 3.2.3. Batteries must be totally sealed and not contain free-flowing liquid. (Whether electrolyte or otherwise.) 3.2.4. Battery connections must be adequately insulated. 3.3 IC Engines 3.3.1 Fuel capacity is limited to 17floz (500ml). 3.3.2 Fuel tanks i) Separate fuel tanks must be made of an acceptable type of plastic (e.g. nylon). ii) If the tank is integral to the engine assembly and is metal, the cap must be plastic or a plastic "pop off" seal fitted. iii) The tank must be adequately protected from puncture. 3.3.3 All fuel lines must be of the correct type and held with the correct type of fittings. They must be routed to minimize the chances of being cut. 3.3.4 A return spring must be fitted to the throttle of all IC engines to return the throttle to "idle" or "off" in the case of servo breakage or failure. (This is in conjunction with any failsafes.) 3.4 Hydraulic 3.4.1 Hydraulic pressure is limited to 3000psi. 3.4.2 Hydraulic fluid storage tanks must be of a suitable material. 3.4.3 Hydraulic fluid lines and fittings must be U.L. Approved (or similar) specification. The lines must be routed to minimize the chances of being cut. 3.5 Pneumatic 3.5.1 Pneumatic pressure is limited to 1000psi. 3.5.2 Pressure vessels i) Cylinders/vessels/reservoirs must be of an acceptable type - i.e. commercially manufactured to contain gas at pressure and have a current valid test certificate. The pressure used must not exceed the manufacturer’s specifications. ii) If the cylinder/vessel/reservoir is not of such a commercial type, it must be certified to confirm that it will safely contain the appropriate pressure. iii) Any unauthorized modifications to the cylinder or its component parts i.e. diaphragm burst disc mechanism, will result in instant disqualification. 3.5.3 Pneumatic lines and fittings must be U.L. Approved or similar specification. The lines must be routed to minimize the chances of being cut. 3.5.4 All gases in pneumatic systems must be inert or non-flammable - e.g. air, carbon dioxide (CO2), argon (Ar), or nitrogen (N2). 3.5.5 Pressure vessel protection i) All gas cylinders/vessels/reservoirs/values and regulators must be contained within the body of the Robot to protect them from puncture. ii) The cylinder/vessel/reservoir must be securely fastened down and the valve/regulator - unless adequately protected by the bodywork - must have an adequate strap or cage over it. 3.5.6 A pressure relief/safety value must be fitted on the high-pressure side of the circuit set at 1000psi. 3.5.7 The pneumatic system must be capable of being vented without removal of fittings from outside of the bullpen. 4. WEAPONS 4.1 All pyrotechnics (see 4.2); explosives; flames; firearms; corrosives; liquids; electronic devices - e.g. radio jamming; heat-guns; Tesla coils are banned. 4.2 Small non-offensive pyrotechnics - e.g. flash puffs - MAY be allowed at the Organizer’s discretion. 4.3 Devices using inflammable or combustion-supporting gases are banned. 4.4 Tethers i) Untethered projectiles are not allowed. ii) Tethered projectiles are allowed, but the tether may not exceed 8ft (2.44 meters) in length, (measured from the center of the Robot to the tip of the projectile). 4.5 The speed of any rotating weapons - e.g. circular saws, carbon or steel cutting discs - must not exceed the manufacturer’s specification. The manufacturer’s specification must be available for inspection. 4.6 Rotating hardened steel blades that may shatter are not allowed. 4.7 Commercial blades - e.g. bayonets - must not exceed 8in (20cm) in length. 4.8 All sharp edges of weapons, including fixed weapons - e.g. spikes - and robot bodywork in general that is sharp, MUST be fitted with adequate protection that must be in place at all times except in the arena. (These guards are not included with the overall weight of the robot.) 4.9 Locking pins i) Any moving or swinging arms - whether or not they hold sharp and/or rotating weapons - MUST be fitted with a visible locking pin that shows the arm(s) is securely locked into place. ii) Locking pins must be painted red or have a red tag attached and MUST be in place at all times - except in the arena. (These locking pins are not included with the overall weight.) 4.10 Self-contained weapons - e.g. IC powered cutting discs - must have a secondary restraint fitted in the event of the main fitting breaking way. 4.11 Lasers up to Class 2 (1mw) are allowed. 5. RADIO CONTROL 5.1 Frequencies and crystals 5.1.1 If the recording is to held in the United Kingdom then all Robots MUST use VHF frequency band 40 MHz. * This is not negotiable. (All Robots MUST use VHF frequency band 75MHz if the television recording is held in the USA.) 5.1.2 A quality set (i.e. one that uses interchangeable crystals) must be used. 5.2 Fail-safes i) All operating circuits that are deemed to be "dangerous" (normally the drive and weapons) must have a "failsafe" device fitted to each circuit. ii) This MUST bring that circuit to a pre-set "off" or "zero" position if the transmitter (TX) signal is lost, to prevent further operation. iii) The fail-safes may take the form of plug-in commercial devices; electronic circuitry incorporated into some receivers - e.g. PCM-type - or other devices - e.g. Vantec speed controllers. iv) Whichever device(s) is selected, it MUST operate to the Organizer’s satisfaction before the Robot will be allowed to compete. (See Technical Sheet No. 1.) 5.3 At least three pairs of transmitter (TX) and receiver (RX) crystals of different frequencies must be available for each RC set up involved in running the Robot. * For UK recording only it is recommended that only Futaba or JR Radios are used. A limited supply of transmitters, transmitter modules, receivers and crystals will be made available to US contestants upon arrival in the UK. Any modifications of radio equipment must be kept to a minimum to allow an easy adaptation of radio equipment. If in doubt please contact the Organizers. |
